Apple recently released the Software Development Kit (SDK) for the iPhone, allowing software developers to create applications for the iPhone that may extend beyond business or entertainment value. WIRED magazine recently reported that doctors are exploring the iPhone for the distribution of xRays, CT scans, and other medical images.
Tech-savvy doctors have been speculating about the iPhone’s medical potential long before Apple shipped its first unit. But the lack of native application support has meant that, up to now, all iPhone applications had to work through the phone’s Safari web browser. That’s a nonstarter for most medical applications because it demands constant connectivity (either via WiFi or an AT&T cellular data network) and prevents application developers from using the device’s full processing power.
Earlier this month, however, Apple released a software development kit (SDK) for programmers to create native iPhone applications. During the announcement event, Apple gave doctors the first concrete reason to trade in their Blackberries and Treos for iPhones by announcing a new partnership with Epocrates, the developer of a massive drug-interaction database for mobile devices. While Palm users have had access to Epocrates for years, the company said it is now working directly with Apple on a new iPhone-native version. When released, it will give doctors the ability to view drug information regardless of their location or the availability of a WiFi.
"The real beauty of the iPhone is that it offers a richer 3-D experience and more memory," says Michelle Snyder, vice president of marketing and subscription services at Epocrates. Read more…
